Jeremy Clarkson’s pub opens on time to a fanfare

Jeremy Clarkson’s new pub has opened to the public for the first time – as hundreds of people queued up to hopefully get inside.

The pub in Asthall, near Burford in Oxfordshire, reopened to the public at midday after being renamed The Farmer’s Dog.

Around 300 people had formed an orderly queue snaking around the car park and large beer garden to wait for the doors to be opened.

And holding up his phone to show the time, Clarkson said: “We’re also not late. Welcome everybody.”

He was accompanied by his girlfriend Lisa Hogan and fellow stars from his hit Amazon show, Clarkson’s Farm, Kaleb Cooper, Charlie Ireland and Gerald Cooper.

Jeremy Clarkson
Jeremy Clarkson opened the pub at midday (Ben Birchall/PA)

Ms Hanly said they wanted to sample the food having previously visited Clarkson’s other businesses, the Diddly Squat farm shop and Hawkstone Brewery, which features in his hit Amazon series Clarkson’s Farm.

“We got here just before 8am. We were surprised to be at the front. We thought it would be busier, earlier but then the gates weren’t opening until 7.30am,” she said.

Jeremy Clarkson’s pub
Lauren Hanly and Blake Jones from Gloucester at the front of the queue outside The Farmer’s Dog (Ben Birchall/PA)

“Having Jeremy Clarkson’s name on it, it is always going to do well. It is a destination site and people will come from all over, as well as the local community.

“We went to the Diddly Squat farm shop and the Hawkstone brewery and Jeremy Clarkson was there filming.”

Jeremy Clarkson carrying a box of mushrooms
Jeremy Clarkson arrived at the pub at 10.40am, bringing produce inside (Ben Birchall/PA)

Earlier this year Clarkson revealed he had paid “less than £1 million” for the pub, then known as The Windmill.

There are fears the venture may bring more traffic problems following the success of his Diddly Squat farm shop.

A marquee has been erected within the grounds of the five-acre site ahead of the opening.

Clarkson has faced pushback over the years from locals in the West Oxfordshire area when he has tried to expand his Diddly Squat farm project.

Jeremy Clarkson’s pub
Clarkson’s Farm star Gerald Cooper arrives for the opening of Jeremy Clarkson’s new pub, The Farmer’s Dog (Ben Birchall/PA)

“I’m delighted he’s breathing some new life into that pub,” one resident posted on Facebook.

“I do worry about traffic though. I popped by the farm shop at the weekend. It was utter chaos.

“The massive new car park was rammed as well as a new overflow one they have made in a field across the road.

“We didn’t stop as the marshals in hi-viz told us the queue was over two hours. I’ve been before on a busy day, but this was insane.”

Another wrote: “Might need three lanes on the A40 for the queuing cars and parked cars.”

Beer garden with tables
The pub is Clarkson’s latest venture, following his Diddly Squat farm shop and Hawkstone brewery (Ben Birchall/PA)

He wrote: “There is no ‘parking row’ here.

“I am merely doing what local residents would expect and working on getting mitigations in place to reduce traffic and parking issues ensuring lessons have been learnt from the farm shop.

“Jeremy has my full support with his next venture, and I want the pub to be a success.”

Mr Walker has previously met with the local highway team to discuss the opening of the new pub.

Road
Local residents have aired concerns over parking at the pub as it is next to the busy A40 (Ben Birchall/PA)

“Several measures have been taken to reduce the likelihood of traffic and parking-related problems, and to support the safe and successful opening of the site,” a council spokesman said.

“Footway improvements have been made to better link the existing adjacent bus stops on the B4047 with the site of the pub to provide a safe and more sustainable option for those visitors that are able to take advantage of the hourly bus service, but whom might otherwise have travelled by car.

“Whilst double yellow lines are not currently being considered at this time, measures have been taken to highlight the inappropriateness of parking on highway verges in the area, and to deter the same.”

The council said motorists were being asked to only use designated off-highway car parks and not park on the roads or verges nearby.

Jeremy Clarkson’s pub sign showing a fox red Labrador and the words 'The Farmer's Dog'
Clarkson revealed he bought the pub for less than £1 million and renamed it from The Windmill to The Farmer’s Dog (Ben Birchall/PA)

The popularity of his Amazon show, which documents the workings of his Diddly Squat farm, a 1,000-acre operation in the Cotswolds, sparked interest from tourists in seeking out the broadcaster’s produce, with queues for the shop reportedly a regular occurrence.

The TV star wanted to extend the car park on his Oxfordshire farm plot to accommodate 70 vehicles, but the proposals were originally opposed by West Oxfordshire District Council.

Milk dispenser machine
The pub, which also has a self-service milk dispenser, is expected to draw tourists to the area following the success of Clarkson’s Amazon series (Ben Birchall/PA)

Clarkson has said he plans to sell his own Hawkstone lager as well as produce reared on his nearby Diddly Squat Farm at the pub.

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